Behind Closed Doors
by Padfoot's Pawprint
Summary: If something is done behind closed doors, then something is taking place secretly or without public knowledge. And in Magnolia, there are bound to be little secrets and hidden actions dancing around our favourite guild members. Let's take a look, shall we?
1. Chapter 1: Reading

**HIYA! So, I haven't been posting anything recently, and I miss my fandoms so much but school sucks so...yeah. Now that summer's here, I'm hoping I'll have lots of time to write and do what I love with fanfiction. Now, Fairytail is a new fandom for me. I initially didn't like it but "****Lucy Ashley from Fairytail****" kinda convinced me with her fics. So...here we go?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairytail**

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Chapter 1: Reading

The tome weighed more than her, Gajeel was almost certain of it. Levy had been sprawled out on his bed with a large book in her hand, eyes drinking up every magical word on the page for the last 3 hours. He didn't quite understand her fascination with the thing- as a man of action, he supposed he never would- but if she enjoyed their company, then who was he to deny it to her.

Although, it was rather cutting in to their alone time now that he thought about it. It was not every day that Gajeel was rid of his nosy Exceed _and_ convinced Levy to spend time with him. Not that he really convinced her, he reminded herself, as the Solid Script mage had rather invited herself once he mentioned that he would have voiced that he was going fishing with the other two crazy cat creatures that weekend, leaving the Iron Dragon Slayer alone with their flat. To be honest, Gajeel had no qualms with having the blue haired mage over in his home, however a part of him was rather put out that she was not paying him much attention. Not that he would admit his disappointment to her; Gajeel was far too proud for that. Instead, he spent much of the day sorting through metals, often putting them in piles that would need moving at the end of the day. The organized chaos that littered the floors did not touch his less-metallic furniture, which was where Levy was spending most of her time.

Gajeel felt a small breath of wind ghost across the back of his neck. The girl had opened the window at one point, saying that the flat was too dusty and needed some fresh air. He shivered a bit and popped a small bolt in his mouth, watching her with curious eyes. She was not affected by it, as if she had lived with the windows open all her life, and showed no sign of change. Levy sighed suddenly and shut the book, not bothering with a page marker. Her blue eyes flashed up to his and he had to school his features to retain his more than bored expression.

"Why are you looking at me?"

"Ya saying I can't _look_ at things anymore?"

"No, of course not," she said with annoyance, "I meant, do you have to look at me like that?"

"Like what?"

She narrowed her eyes at him, sighing only when she saw his mouth quirk up to form an amused smirk. "Like I'm some weird pet that you're waiting to see move."

"Well pets are small, so I guess you-"

"Stop," she said sharply, her reading glasses slipping down the bridge of her nose slightly. "I mean it, Gajeel. I'm _reading_."

"And I am _watching_."

"Gajeel!"

"What?" He grimaced, massaging his ear slightly. She could sound high pitched and annoying when she wanted to; he had forgotten that. "You've never had a problem with it before."

"You've _stared_ at me before?" She gaped at him; he now had her attention.

"No, I've _watched_ you read before," he retorted stubbornly. "There's a difference."

"Wha- When?"

"Whenever you're not watching me. Duh." Gajeel rolled his eyes and turned around, hiding the red that was beginning to creep into his face. He interested himself with a spare bike tire, pulling at the metal spokes to bend and break them, before he felt two hands touch his arm. He almost jumped at her cold skin on his skin but he didn't turn to look; not just yet.

"Whenever I'm not watching you? All those times?"

"Well, I ain't watching you sleep, that's for sure," he mumbled, opting instead to slip one of the metal spikes into his mouth, "that'd be fuckin' weird." He savoured the taste, the small bits of rust giving it a familiar tang while he placed the rest into a small drawer at his desk, brushing aside a handful of other assorted metals to place the bike spikes in. He'd have to save them for a later proj-

"Gajeel, are you even listening?"

"'Course."

"Then what did I just say?" He risked a glance over at her and saw her watching him expectantly, her mouth slanted downwards slightly into a frown. Her tangled blue hair was threatening to explode from beneath her bandana, a few loose strands creeping forward with every mini gust of wind that the window sent into his bedroom. It was quite alluring in a very strange and completely innocent way, and Gajeel had to admit (as he had been having to admit this quite often these days) that she wasn't completely unattractive. Levy mistook his silence for an absence of answer and huffed out, sitting straight. "I _said_ that you watching me is really creepy. Can you stop? It's distracting," she admitted, and as much as Gajeel itched to pursue the subject, he let her win, opting instead to do _exactly_ what she said. His competitive heart roared against his submissive gesture, but he remained in control, nodding to her curtly before looking downwards and continuing his sorting.

"Thank you," she said with a sigh of relief, and he heard her shift back onto his bed, no doubt lying on her stomach once more. He fought off his curiousity well and, after taking no more than ten minutes to internally catalogue the metals, he stood and exited the room without a word.

Gajeel wasn't really sure what to expect when he decided to leave the room. Later, he would admit to himself that he merely wanted her to follow him and question his motives, but her pages and ink-made adventures captured her attentions more than he could, and he bitterly accepted that for the moment. The man stalked down his halls, a dark feeling in his gut. He did not enjoy being shunned, least of all by her. And if she wanted him not to look at her, not to _admire_ what he recognized as her obvious beauty and cool intellect, then Gajeel convinced himself that he would have to wait outside the house to satisfy that desire.

He pulled on his traditional black books, the metal heel and tip bringing its own unique relaxation to his jealous form. Because that was what he was, he realized, the moment he let himself out of his flat and out onto the streets of Magnolia. He was jealous of an inanimate object.

And the mere thought of it made him want to destroy the paper novel.

Gajeel wandered around outdoors for a while, not thinking too much about the temperature or the citizens walking the streets as well. Levy was on his mind instead, and since Lily wasn't there to chastise or tease him, he decided to indulge himself in some thinking about her. Levy would be so consumed with her book that he doubted she would have even noticed his absence. However Gajeel was as patient as he was spiteful, so even when she did land up noticing, he planned it to be after he had been gone _hours_. Perhaps long enough to make her worried...

The cruel thought almost shocked Gajeel right out of his vengeful mindset. He shouldn't be wishing these things upon her; upon a girl whom he had already subjected to many cruel things. He was in her debt; he owed her his life. He remembered making the offer, pledging his service to her as long as she needed a partner to train or take missions with. Anything to make the guilt he had felt in the dawn of his Fairytail life disappear. Judging from how quickly it had taken for his mind to cloud and darken, he would reckon that he wasn't doing the best thing to help her. He was getting all worked up over a simple command, and he had found the request so challenging that he had even found the need to leave _his own apartment_.

He shook a little with laughter as he chuckled about his own stupidity. Indeed, he was the dumb one in their crooked relationship, that he was certain. She was clueless about many things but out of the two of them, she was clearly the more intelligent member. He supposed, in part, that that was one of the many reasons why he had indebted himself to her. It hadn't solely been as repayment. She balanced him out; she thought too much where he thought too little. It benefited him as well.

Gajeel continued his leisurely walk, doing whatever he could to take Levy and the course, leather book out of his mind. Perhaps he would go to the guild and drink something. Alcohol always managed to clear the questions in his mind, no matter how trivial they seemed to be. With a newfound purpose, Gajeel began moving towards the guild, the sky already beginning to darken as night approached steadily. The loud guild that he now called home would surely take his mind off her, and he looked forward to drinking something strong. Perhaps Cana could fix him up something stronger than his usual. Mavis only knew how much alcohol it took to get her out of his head.

"HEY!" Gajeel froze, stunned by the voice's annoyed quality. He took a breath and realized that he could smell her-could smell Levy-as if she was right behind him. Gajeel had been disregarding her scent because it had clung to his clothes ever since she began spending those innumerable hours with him in his home. He hadn't even noticed her. He mentally swore, shutting his eyes and running a tired hand over his face. He was going to hear it now. Her tone was clearly the one that she adopted when she wanted to sound intimidating or stern. It was a one that he heard quite often, even if he did not necessarily register what he had done to offend her at the time.

"Shrimp," he acknowledged and he heard her walk closer to him.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"The guild," he said, trying to relax his form. He didn't know what he had done to upset her this time. And, like all the other times, he supposed that he was going to have to sit through a very long lecture on what he had done and what he should have done.

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"Gajeel, stop acting like that," she said, and then she was next to him. He could feel her warmth to his right, but he didn't dare look at her. He was going to draw this out as long as he could; draw out the amount of time that she was giving him her full and complete attention because he knew he wasn't going to have it much longer.

"Like what?"

She all but growled at him, something that he also seemed to find attractive, he realized. "Quit playing games, Gajeel. You're acting like a child. Will you-" she shifted in front of him but he looked away, "-just look-" she jumped up to catch his eyes but he shut them instead, enjoying their little game, "-at me."

"Nah," he said instead, resisting a smirk at her frustrated cry, "I'm good."

"Wha-" Levy stomped on the ground, and Gajeel would have bet everything he owned that she was pouting. He expected her to give up on him like she normally did, pegging his actions as some sort of male mood swing. Instead, she snatched his wrist and pulled him over. He walked where she wanted, keeping his red eyes closed the entire time. He wasn't sure where she was taking him, but she stopped him abruptly and he...could hear wood bending. How was that-

The next thing that he knew, two small hands were on either side of his face and his eyes flew open of their own accord. Levy was standing on a small park bench, her cold palms pressed onto his cheeks to keep his head in place. She looked ruffled, her hair a bit disheveled, and, now that he was paying attention, he noted that she was breathing rather heavily. Had she raced after him? Surely he didn't walk that fast...

"You are going to listen to me, okay?" She didn't wait for his response as she followed it with, "You need to stop pouting and acting like a baby." He opened his mouth to say something but was silence by a sharp glare. "I don't care how tough you think you are, Gajeel, it doesn't give you the right to monopolize all of my attention."

"What does then?" The words slipped out of his mouth without much permission and while he thought he would regret it, he was pleased to find that she looked startled by his question. He didn't understand why though. She was a clever woman. She must have known what she was doing to him, and how he was feeling about it. It had been on purpose, a sort of delayed gratification.

Right?

"W-what?"

"I said, what does then? What gives me the right to have all of yer attention?" He asked it of her with all the seriousness in the world, staring at her with the same intensity that he had been using all day. She was a confusing woman, always saying one thing and meaning another, and she was profound physically and mentally. Maybe it was an instinctual, dragon-based side of him that believed she should be his. She was the female that he spent the most amount of time with, so perhaps this need to hoard her attention surrounded that fact. He hoped that explained how he craved to have her eyes watch him, to have her speak just so he could listen to her voice, and that he could speak with her undivided attention as an audience. He wanted those things badly, more so than he would and could ever admit, and if words were how he was going to get her attention then, by Mavis, he would do what he could.

"I-I don't know." She stumbled on her words, cheeks pink, and Gajeel could see that she was put off by his words. Levy's eyes seemed to shift nervously from his face to the landscape behind him and back again. "You, um..." He felt her thumb rub against his cheek before moving her hand off his face all together, thinking that her palms had overstayed their welcome, but he grabbed her hands and pressed them so that they remained sitting warmly on his cheek bones. Levy's eyes searched his, as if she would find the answer in the red orbs that shone back at her. He stared back, giving away nothing, categorizing her eyes as a brown that he took pleasure gazing at. He felt her hand heat his cheeks and she smelled...nervous. She was not as upset as she let on, he found, and she regarded him with more anxiety and gentleness than he would have thought possible for someone in her position.

"You?" he supplied slowly, relishing in the heat of her hand. The chill from the autumn winds was surely chilling her more than it was chilling him. He was basically an iron man, and that meant that he did not feel the temperature of the weather as much. But the heat in her hands... in his home they had been cold, but now? It was like nothing he'd ever felt. She was warm and he gravitated towards that rare warmth like a moth to the flame. Gajeel wasn't sure what possessed him to do so, but he turned his head ever so slightly and heard the words Levy would have said die in her throat, the softest of sounds leaving her mouth as he pressed his lips to her palm. There was a part of Gajeel that both roared with happiness and purred with content. He was lucky he got away with such an affectionate gesture, no slapping or hitting to accompany it. To accomplish something like that with Levy was good enough. But the fact that she had _let_ him...

"I-" she restarted, her thoughts coming back to her despite how scattered she had been. He kissed her palm again, eyes never leaving hers and Levy's eyes regarded him carefully. He didn't have an ulterior motive, as much as he knew she believed. Her skin smelled good- _she _smelled good- and if not for their social status in public, he would have very much liked to kiss her in other places besides the chaste ones on her hands.

"What gives me the right?" he said, repeating the question and trying to soften his voice. Levy never took well to the gruffness. More often than not, it made her defensive, and while he genuinely enjoyed the fire he normally garnered from her, he was currently not in the mood. This was an actual question; something that had been on his mind for weeks. When she didn't answer him, her sighed and ruffled her hair affectionately with a spare hand before saying, "Or maybe only your groupies have that, right?"

Her eyes narrowed instantly, the inner turmoil disappearing from them as she pulled herself away, smacking his shoulder with a huff. Gajeel simply grinned, glad to see that she was visibly less anxious than before, and vowed to perhaps save his personal questions for later. "Jerk," she grumbled, but Gajeel didn't disagree, choosing to instead carrying her off the bench and placing her gently back on the floor. The distance was not far at all, but the gesture was not lost on the Solid Script mage. She mumbled her thanks before looking him in the eye again. "So..."

"So do you want to eat something at the guild?" he inserted quickly, but not without purpose. The guild was public and would make her feel more comfortable after such an awkward conversation. "My treat."

Levy agreed eagerly, and, just when he thought she had forgotten about his question, she took him by the hand and they walked to the guild hall. He smiled inwardly to herself. "Know what?" she said as they walked, eyes on the path before them. "This meal at the guild hall better be a good pick by you. I'm seriously not buying if you're gonna make it up to me properly."

"I'll make it up to ya," he promised, priding himself on managing to get her away from the pages and ink.

"Good," she chirped, before saying something that made him groan. "You're going to buy me a new book too."

Damn that literature.

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**Better? Is it okay? I mean, I didn't intend for it to be this long and it kinda happened...**

**Please R&R**


	2. Chapter 2: Waiting

**i really don't know where this story is going...the summary is pretty bad, so i'm sorry if you guys were expecting something else and got my weird oneshots instead. if you have any messages or questions, feel free to ask**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairytail**

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Chapter 2: Waiting

The house was uncharacteristically quiet. It wasn't often that Lucy got a home to herself; it had been years since she had been able to safely know that no pink haired dragon slayer and his blasted blue catbird would be jumping through her window and into her bedroom. She had managed to take a long shower and actually dry her hair naturally. She sat at her desk, her pen hovering over her page. She was having some very fierce writer's block at her desk, something that wasn't terribly uncommon to her. However, she was not accustomed to sitting at said desk for multiple days with nothing in mind for her newest plot.

Ever since Natsu and Happy had embarked on their week long mission, she had been getting absolutely no work done. She had gone shopping, went to the library with Levy, and talked with Mira and even Erza about the inner workings of Fairytail. Lucy had managed to make at least two sleepovers at Fairy Hills and had not hesitated to flirt a bit in town, something she never had time for with Natsu glued to her hip. She had done just about everything to escape her house and just be free. But now that she was back and working on the topic she had wanted to work on the most, she found herself coming up blank.

"It's never been nearly this hard," she grumbled to herself, scratching out a line that she deemed unfit. With a huff, Lucy stood and moved to flop of her bed, spreading her arms widely over it. It had never been a big bed; just enough for one person, and just barely enough for two, with pink covers and a fresh pillow. Sometimes she wondered if she should save up for a bigger bed just to accommodate her late night visitors before she scoffed at herself and was reminded that she shouldn't change her things to make _him_ more comfortable. She had ample amount of space in his absence though, her bed pressed neatly against the wall and her body just long enough to fit the length of the bed. It was just right for her.

Unfortunately, it had also been just right for Natsu, as he seemed to find it hard to separate himself from her plush domain. Whether it was knowingly or unknowingly, he made his way into bed so frequently that Lucy even had to cut down on the amount of stuffed animals that could sit behind her pillow because most of them gave Happy the creeps. The fact that she accommodated them was almost unprecedented but even so Lucy found that secretly, she didn't mind.

Her home was empty enough as it was without them in it. She had chores to do and a book to write, but besides that, her home held none of the appeal it had when she had first moved in. The only friend she had voluntarily let over was Levy, and even she was shocked at how unsocial Lucy seemed without her colourful companions. She had commented on how Lucy seemed not quite herself when Natsu wasn't around, and that brought up a whole new topic of conversation that started with Lucy blushing and ended with Levy covering her face from embarrassment.

Lucy sat up and looked out the window with a sort of longing that she hadn't felt in a long time. When her mother had passed on, Lucy remembered staring out the window and dreaming for the day when she could leave home; leave her prison. Countless hours had been wasted pining over a parent who couldn't express his emotions properly and wishing for companions outside her home. But this was home now, this small apartment that was modestly filled and, more often than not, inhabited. The silence itself was hard enough to handle because she rarely got it with Natsu and Happy running around in her home, but now that she finally had it, it lost the charm that she had once found in it.

The blonde silently cursed them for her writer's block and instead she stood, cracking her back as she did so. She moved into her kitchen and made herself a cup of hot chocolate, grabbing her hot water kettle and the cocoa powder from the shelf. The smell had always been able to calm her down, the heat doing wonders for her insides. As she poured the warm liquid inside her pink mug, she was reminded that Natsu could normally heat her home. She frequently got Natsu to heat up her water; or her bed now that she thought about it.

Lucy let out a frustrated breath at the fact that she let herself think of him again and snatched up her mug, returning to her desk in a hurry. She would have to finish this chapter to feel like she did anything worthwhile. She raised her pen, twirling it in her hand while she reread the chapter for context. A knock on the door came soon after, however, stealing away her non-existent ideas away.

"Who is it?" she called out. There was a voice responded and, from her spot at her desk, it sounded a great deal like her blue haired friend. "Coming, Lev!"

"Thanks!" she replied.

She blew the steam from her mug quickly before racing to the door, craving company more than she thought she ever could. The absence left by her companions was really beginning to wear her down. Lucy unlocked it, a broad smile on her face at the thought of company, before she realized that the character at the door wasn't a blue haired bookworm but a blue haired cat.

"Happy?" she exclaimed, completely confused. He and Natsu weren't due back until next week. How did he get here so fast and earlier without his dragon slayer companion?

"Aye!" replied Happy, flying up and into her home without an invitation. She watched him, dumbstruck, as he went right to the kitchen, no doubt hunting up a piece of fish that he knew Lucy kept in storage just for him. She peeked outside the house curiously, eyes searching for a mop of pink hair that she knew belonged to Happy's companion.

"Um, Happy?" she called, not taking her eyes off the empty outdoors.

"Yeah?" His voice was muffled; no doubt he had already stuffed a fish into his greedy mouth.

"When exactly did you get back?" she asked hesitantly, an unwelcome image pushing into her mind.

"Maybe an hour ago. I was going to go home but Natsu said that he wanted to see you first."

"And where is Natsu?"

"He's right-" Happy flew around the bend before stopping mid air, pulling his fish out of his mouth. "Oh no! Did I leave him on the train?!"

"Not again, Happy," she groaned, turning to grab her jacket out of the coat closet. She fumbled with the buttons in her desperation to get it on before snapping, "You really need to stop forge- AHH!" She shrieked as she fell to the floor, the person behind her, or rather on top of her, chuckling to himself.

"We're home!" he cried, and Lucy growled from beneath Natsu's body.

"No kidding you're home," she said, struggling to stand. Natsu's weight was suddenly off of her, and she nearly ripped off her jacket to throw it in his face which he caught with ease. "You didn't have to jump me, you know? The door would have worked just fine."

"But Happy said you would have liked a surprise!" Natsu whined, and Lucy turned her glare upon the Exceed.

"Aye, sir," he agreed, a conniving smirk on his face.

"This is all your fault, you sneaky cat!" Happy cackled, finishing off the rest of his finish before returning to her fridge for another. Lucy ran a tired hand over her face, watching as Natsu flung the coat off to the side and smiled at her, hands stuffed into his pockets. He looked so excited to see her that she couldn't help but return the grin. She couldn't even pretend to be mad when she felt so relieved that they had returned. "Welcome home, Natsu," she said, yawning a bit as she did so. Natsu replied with a yawn himself before shutting up her front door, not bothering with the locks. "Do you want something to drink?"

"Nah," Natsu dropped his traveling bag down by the closet and gave a large stretch. "We just wanted to see you. Thought you might have gotten a little lonely without us around."

"Me? Lonely?" Lucy laughed it off weakly, shuffling over to her writing desk to take a sip of her hot drink. "I wasn't lonely. There're tons of people in the guild to hang out with."

"That's good," said Natsu, face a little paler than normal.

"How was the train home?" she asked innocently, watching him crumple to the ground at the mention of his nauseating trip. Lucy almost wanted to laugh at how dramatically something as small as a train ride affected him. She walked over to him and crouched next to his body, patting his head soothingly and apologizing for reminding him of it even though she wasn't feeling much remorse at all. "You want something to eat?" He nodded, not bothering to move from his position, opting instead to hold his stomach and rock himself back and forth. She nearly laughed out loud at that but bit it back, starting a small fire in her stove. Fire meal was the easiest thing to feed him before she actively made something else, and normally a little bit of fire did the trick for his nausea. Once she had kindled the flames properly in a manner that Natsu had trained her, she let the flames gather on a piece of wood and handed it to her ill friend. Lucy was glad to see that he ate it up greedily, energy quickly returning to him.

She sat down on her bed and leaned into the pillows, watching him practically devour the remaining flame practically sucking the fire out of the stove till there was nothing left of it. "Thanks for the meal," he said cheerily, turning to look at her with a bright smile. "I didn't get any good fire on our mission. All of it just tasted weird." He wrinkled his nose at the memory and Lucy softened at it. _Ah, conversation was so nice after silence for hours_.

"Well there's plenty here," she said lightly, hugging a pillow to her chest while she watched him play with some smaller flames on his fingers. They stayed like that for a while; Happy was eating in the kitchen, Natsu on the ground with his fire, and Lucy on her bed, taking the occasional sip of hot chocolate. Even though it was quiet, it did not bother her. Instead, she felt more relaxed than she had felt in days. She leaned into the pillows on her bed, eventually slipping under the covers and curling up to conserve warmth. Her eyelids felt heavier than she remembered, and she knew sleep was fast approaching.

"Luce?" The girl nodded sleepily. "Was your bed warm when we weren't there?"

"No, it wasn't," she said softly, snuggling into her pillow while clutching the plush one in her arms as well, "but I was okay."

He frowned and crawled over to her, touching the mug next to her bed. It was half full, but he looked into it anyway. "Are you done with this?"

"Mhmm." She shut her eyes, growing too tired to stop him from guzzling the rest of the drink. She heard him down the whole cup before making an unsatisfied sound. "Too sweet?"

"Too sweet," he agreed. Lucy heard the shuffling of clothes and the next thing she knew, he was sliding in to bed next to her, taking the plush pillow from her arms.

"What the-" she started, eyes opening before a soothing warmth engulfed her, making her shudder with delight. He always did this when he lay down with her. In fact, it was one of his self-proclaimed reasons for crawling into her bed. It was for _her_ benefit, he always insisted. "Oh."

"Yeah," said Natsu, grinning at her before calling to Happy. "Hey, Happy, come over here. It's time to sleep."

"Aye, sir!"

"Oh, and turn off the lights please," called Lucy as the Exceed came flying towards them. He did as he was told and quickly came to rest at the top of her bed. The trio lay there, Lucy and Natsu in the main sect with Happy. It was a familiar situation that calmed Lucy right down and made her smile to herself. They were so worth the wait.

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**thoughts?**

**please R&R**


	3. Chapter 3: Touching

**I have a couple chapters backed up but I went on a trip and then school and...yeah**

**I'm also pretty sure that Juvia and Gray are OC so I'm really sorry. I did what I could! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairytail**

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Chapter 3: Touching

It was by accident nine out of ten times. It was normally done unconsciously and in cases where she was plummeting downwards, he had made decided early on in their strange friendship to catch her in the most comfortable way possible; clutched to his chest with her head at his heart. In some cases, it was simply easier that way because then he could lower her to the ground smoothly without worrying that she would be injured further. Why make it more difficult for the both of them to fight the battle when this close contact solution benefited them both? And then, even if she wasn't falling to her death, grabbing her body and pulling it out of the way always seemed like the best option. She could handle herself, but sometimes she wasn't paying attention to her surroundings and he'd been annoyed too many times by people trying to start fights just because she had accidentally walked into them. There were multiple males just itching to pick a fight with the water mage, something that the irritated ice mage would have been happy to oblige had she let him.

"Gray-sama? Is there a problem?" He tried not to look up at her too suddenly, but he couldn't help it. He had forgotten all about the woman he was escorting around; the woman who had unknowingly invaded his thoughts just as she had invaded his personal space not long ago.

"Nope."

"Ah, that is good. Juvia was afraid that there was something distracting you from the mission."

"Right, the mission," he said half-heartedly. He stood, taking his eyes off of her and focussing on the road ahead as they began their walk once more.

"Is perhaps Gray-sama in need of a reminder?" She offered it hesitantly, as if afraid he'd brush her off; something that was not uncommon. He nodded instead, and with his approval, she said, "He and Juvia are to retrieve a locket belonging to a wealthy woman on the outskirts of the town. No physical labour is to be needed, and the pawn shop that should hold such a locket… is nearing!" At this, she raised an arm to point at an old, rusted sign at the top of a shop they were indeed approaching. Gray could see flashes of gold and silver winking at him through the glass of the shop, and even at their distance, he could spot the shadow of an old man polishing what appeared to be an equally old watch. The wooden frame seemed relatively new however, and even the roof was painted a reflective colour that brought the shop to his attention.

"I'm glad you remember this stuff," he replied by means of a thank you. "Normally, I just have the objective in mind and I go for it."

"The details often complicate the mission. One should always be wary of them." He smirked but did not respond. Juvia, in turn, paused a moment before a small frown graced her features and she tested the waters by starting with, "Perhaps Gray-sama wishes to speak about what is on his mind? Sharing the burden with Juvia could make the load easier to bear."

"It's nothing I can't handle," he said, his eyes slipping to hers thoughtlessly. She was still watching him, her whole body radiating worry. Gray hadn't realized that she would be this perceptive, a realization that he promptly scolded himself for having so late because, really, it was characteristic of her to be perceptive of him. "I'm _fine_."

She nodded her acceptance and they continued their work. He tried not to think about how often her coloured orbs flicked to his face just as he tried not to let her catch him watching her as well. After the Grand Magic Games, everyone was at risk, including her. From the corner of his eye, he spotted a few kids running up behind them. Without much consideration, his hand snaked out, wrapping around her torso and pulling her around to walk in front of him so the children wouldn't topple into her. When she peered up to ask him why, her face considerably more coloured than before, she missed her answers barreling into the man just in front of Juvia. The ice mage sighed and repositioned her at his side, flustering her and effectively getting her off his case for the time being.

"You have the missions sheet, right?" he offered instead.

"Yes, Gray-sama!" A pale hand slipped past the silver lining of her purse to retrieve the yellowing missions page. The reward in jewels stood out as did the shape of the locket which was molded in to a silver teardrop. It seemed to almost glisten even in the picture, the curves of the item smooth enough to catch the eye of any bypasser. It was not unreasonable to expect the enchanted item to get stolen when the owner left on vacation. Gray glanced up in to the shop window and did not doubt that the item they sought sat there alongside other pawned valuables. "Gray-sama is ready to enter?"

"Yup."

The whole interaction happened relatively quickly in Gray's mind. He remembered walking in to the shop and pretending to look at the trinkets that adorned the oaken display cases while Juvia scanned the window shelves for the locket, her soft voice inquiring after it. The shop owner, growing restless, had tried to fling knives at her and escape which effectively surprised both mages considering the owner's aged visage. Gray recalled opening his mouth in protest, freezing both the blades and the man before snatching up the locket. He did not quite register how, as one hand grabbed the necklace, the other grabbed on to Juvia's shoulders to hold her to him. Juvia had quickly waterlocked the man as well and he had been apprehended quickly enough, which left Gray with an unanswered rationale for this new reflex. It certainly wasn't an un-enjoyable reflex, but he wasn't sure why it was happening more and more often. Granted, he and Juvia had been spending considerably more time together –something that he did enjoy- and it wouldn't be wrong to say that he was considerably more in tune with her now than he had been in the past.

"Gray-sama is certain that he is unbothered by the events of this day?" He blinked quickly and gazed over at his companion who had returned from writing up a report for the Grand Magic Council. He rose to his full height quickly, as if the act could dispel his own embarrassment at being caught in his own borderline romantic thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm good."

"Yet Gray-sama is looking most upset in thought. Perhaps Gray-sama would now like to share his thoughts with Juvia." She stared at him expectantly and when her smooth digits curled around his hand, he felt an unfamiliar sensation in his legs and was compelled to sit once more. "Speak."

"I don't know what you want me to say," he grumbled and though his words were grudging, his eyes continued to watch her and relish the feeling of simply holding her hand. It was wonderful and soft; what was more, she was _warm_ all the time. As an ice mage, the cold have never bothered him anyway which made him sensitive to heat. And by all that was good in Fiore, she had a heat radiating under her skin that made him feel like gold. However, that probably wasn't a good sign, because that would mean that his contact with her ran deeper than protecting a comrade and a friend; it would mean she was _important_ to him.

And for Gray, 'important' meant 'in danger' rather frequently.

"Gray-sama is brooding." He watched with an amused smirk on his face as she tried to imitate his early expressions, which led to her pulling her perfect brows together and crossing her arms with a distinct frown on her face. "Why? He and Juvia have apprehended the thief and the jewellery sits safely in Juvia's pocket. We have accomplished our mission, no?" He shook his head, thumbing the top of her hand all the while keeping his eyes fixed on her perfectly worried face. "Gray-sama...perhaps Gray-sama is not pleased with Juvia."

"What?" he spluttered, feeling the way her grip tightened at the mere mention that he did not enjoy her company. It reminded him of her first few weeks in Fairytail; the ceaseless stalking, the sneak-attack hugs, the obsessive calls...all of which had died down as time passed. It was not until these last couple years that Gray realized that spending time with Juvia meant less stalking and creepiness in general. If he had only known sooner-

"It _is_ as Juvia feared." She bowed her head, her locks falling past her shoulders like waterfalls. "Juvia apologizes for being such a load for Gray-sama, physically and mentally."

"The fuck?" He shook his head quickly, roughly, as if the words he had just heard could fall right back out of his ears. "Juvia, you aren't a burden to me."

"Gray-sama is too kind to Juvia, but she can handle it; the truth. And Juvia-" She swallowed as if the words that were about to come out of her mouth were rough and dry. "Juvia will no longer force Gray-sama to touch her."

"What?!" She had released her hold on him but he had no intention of relinquishing his hold on her. "Why would you ever say that?" His mind whirled with situations in which he would never come in contact with her and the thought of never being able to touch her sweet skin again was the worst thought to cross his mind in a while. He had done too much to try and stay close to her, to get away with holding her close and clutching her hand and pulling her around often enough to lessen the number of times she became a puddle at his feet. _This_ was his rationale, he realized as he stared into her weeping eyes. Touching her meant she was safe and close- "Never say that."

"But-"

"_Never_. Do you understand?" He tightened his grip, eyes wild and desperately searching hers for her comprehension.

"But Juvia is always in the wrong place and Gray-sama must catch her and move her and _touch_ her and then he gets the look of annoyance."

"I'm not annoyed with you," he protested slowly realizing her impression of their interactions. She had always glanced up when he was frustrated with himself and his feelings that just _weren't_ straightforward for her. "I mean, I used to, but I-" He had gotten caught up in her eyes again, all glassy and glistening and the most gorgeous things he'd ever laid eyes on in his entire life.

"Gray-sama thinks what?" She was gazing down at him hopefully, and then it clicked; everything made sense.

Ugh, Natsu would slay him when he found out.

"I don't feel that way anymore," he said, trying to resist the burn creeping up his neck. Man, it was getting hot.

"How does Gray-sama feel about Juvia?"

"I-" He paused and felt a hand leave hers to tug at the waistband of his shorts. He _really_ wanted to strip but he could not afford to. This was important; Juvia was important, even if he had never wanted another important person again. "I don't hate you. And I like touching you. Ah- I mean," he looked away, abashed at how brazen he sounded. He was afraid she would get the wrong idea, and when he glanced over, he saw that she was as red and he felt. How was going to put this that would keep her from jumping him and revealing his own thought? He hoped there was a way. "I don't want you to have to change things for me, got it? I have my own issues but don't let them get to you, okay?" She nodded quickly and tightened her grip on his hand.

"Juvia is glad that you are not bothered by her. She only wishes for your happiness every moment of her life."

"'Course you do," he said and looked away from her earnest gaze. This was going comparably better than he thought it would considering that she hadn't flipped out. Yet. "We should get going, shouldn't we?"

"Indeed. Um, Gray-sama?"

"Yeah?"

"May Juvia hold on to your hand for the remainder of the trip?"

"Sure, sure," he said, forgetting that she was a straightforward person. Declarations and the like were ways she expressed her feelings. He stood abruptly, tugging her through the streets and trying very hard not to show his rose coloured face to her. He was more than anxious now and prayed she wouldn't say something embarrassing like-

"Gray-sama, your clothes!"

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**Please R&R with your thoughts.**


	4. Chapter 4: Kissing

**I hope that they don't seem too OC...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairytail**

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Chapter 4: Kissing

She wasn't quite sure what it was about him, but she supposed the touching was the first bit of it. Erza had known Jellal since she was a child, always taking his hand when it was offered or rubbing his back when he was overcome with pain from a recent punishment. Even as a boy, he had craved physical contact, liking to sleep close to his friends for both warmth and comfort since they were the only family he had ever known. One of her fonder memories was a mini stockpile that they had made in their sleeping cage to preserve heat and all of her friends were there, together with her.

Then there was his words. When they had been young, his words were always kind and inspiring. The only hatred that ever came to pass his lips was towards their oppressors and, later, when he was possessed. His words had always been able to get her in a way nothing else had been. He let hope bloom in each of their friends and helped them build a dream where they all had a life, together, outside of the island.

And finally there was his eyes. They had always been bright and full of hope for the future. Jellal had never been one to be consumed by depression. His cheery demeanor and confidence gave confidence to all their friends, Erza especially.

But those things were different now. His touch was soft and fragile now, his words gentle and his eyes... his eyes bore a sadness that even she could not completely grasp. It was the regret, she knew; regret for all the things he now remembered. And he hated himself for it. Everything he had done after his resurrection was a punishment to himself, and his eyes, once so full of hope, were now dismal and drowning in pain.

His hand stroked her cheek again and she leaned into his touch. Her on-call status with Ultear had brought her to his hidden forest cabin, which led to a most private talk in his bedroom about contacting one another on short notice. While Erza had agreed with him about being careful with contact, she cared too much for him to agree about having minimal contact. The man, though she could see he was holding back, rarely let himself do anything remotely romantic with her. His 'fiancé' has seen to that. Still, there was something about the way that he touched her that reminded her of before. Sure, his skin brushed hers lightly, and yes, he treated her like glass, but there was something reserved. Erza could sense it; could always sense it when he met her alone.

"Jellal-" she started but he shook his head and his touch disappeared as quickly as it had come.

"I know what you're going to say and the answer is no."

"But I haven't even said anything," she said stubbornly, clenching her fists. She felt different this night. With her standing before him in nothing but her nightgown, she felt the need to be more upfront. Ever since that sunset moment on the beach, she had known that something had changed in them both. and tonight felt like the night she could do something different; something unique. She was baring her feelings and, in a sense, her body since she was devoid of armor. She was fragile, but maybe she didn't want to be treated like that anymore.

"You don't need to," he sighed, his eyes trying their best not to meet hers while his lips remained in their down turned position. His eyes followed

"I can't-" All at once she was kissing him, fingers curling around the smooth fabric of his shirt with her eyes shut tight. He was buttoned down, the white clothing not doing much to hide his figure and the scars that adorned it. He had donned it by accident, since Ultear had never actually notified Jellal that Erza was coming and he had not too long ago left the confines of his shower. While Erza had not expected him to walk in when she was preparing to sleep in their supposed guest room, she had still expected Jellal to seem more excited to see her. To be honest though, she was glad he had taken off his cloak and was relatively more relaxed as it made her plans easier. He pulled away harshly, and her eyes opened, watching him carefully. "Erza, stop. My fiancé-"

"Doesn't exist," she said, tugging him down again to kiss him. Her strength forced him forward, and he stumbled a bit, mouth hitting hers while his balance failed him. He had nothing to hold on to to stop his fall but Erza's own body, and whether he liked it or not, the mage found herself pressed up him, his arms holding her close. If he didn't want to kiss her, he wasn't putting up much of a fight, she thought, bemused as he kissed her back, gently at first. She slipped her hands about his neck, locking her fingers there and bringing him close to her.

They stood there for a while, clinging to each other until he tried to pull away again. But Erza wouldn't have that. Not today. Not when she was sick and tired of reserved and self-pity and doubt. She allowed him to move fractionally before shoving him backwards, and while she saw that he thought this was good, he clearly did not expect to fall backwards into his bed. "Wha-" Erza moved towards him, slow and suspenseful enough to allow him time to comprehend what her intentions were. "No, Erza," he said, trying to sit up as she neared him. "Don't do this. I don't deserve this. I can't-"

"That's all you ever say." She pushed him back down and got on to the bed with him, sitting on his stomach to prevent escape. "You _can't_ live like this. You _can't_ atone for your sins so you have to suffer instead. You _can't_ love me. You _can't_ make me happy. You _can't,_ Jellal?" She leaned down and pressed a softer kiss to his mouth, sweet and sincere. "You were the only one who could give me the happiness that I wanted. You're still the only one."

"There will be others" he told her, his sad, gold eyes staring at her mournfully. "I can't be here for you like they will be."

"Again with the 'can't'," she growled, face hovering above his. "If I say you are the only one, then you are the only one. There has never been nor will there ever be another for me. You're it."

He said her name again as if pleading with her to stop bombarding him with her feelings; as if he was afraid he was going to get swept up into their intensity and drown.

"Answer me truthfully. I know that you love me. And you know that I love you. I will _never_ stop loving you for as long as I live." She declared it with a straight face but within herself she was breaking into a billion pieces from nervousness. She was calm, cool and collected around everyone but him. "Will you never stop loving me?"

"Erza, I-"

"Answer the question."

He was silent, thoughtful, before he returned her stare, this time with more conviction than heartbreak. "I will never stop."

"Good." She kissed him in a hard bruising kiss, reveling in the response she was getting. He was more receptive now, one hand rubbing at a bare leg while the other held her face. His kisses were urgent now, his skin leaving hers flushed and tingling. It was a back and forth with them, a struggle for power she supposed. One minute she was in complete control, and the next she was on her back, his lips finding their way to leave marks on her neck. Erza savoured in the attention that she knew she would not have for long, and her heart practically sang when he kissed her of his own volition, her name coming out whispered every once and a while. She was acutely aware of how thin her nightgown was now, as the heat from his close proximity seemed to seep through and warm her up itself.

She let out a little gasp when he hit a sweet spot and he chuckled. A chink in the armor for the requip mage, he supposed. He kissed it again, running a hand down the length of her gown and causing her to shiver with pleasure. He mistook it as a sign that she was uncomfortable and froze, forcing his face back up to hers. "Do I need to stop?" he asked breathlessly and she shook her head, bringing his body back down to meet hers. They carried on as before until he said, "We don't have to do this," as she sat up and forced his shirt off of him. "If you're not ready-"

She shook her head and kissed him, pulling her legs out from under him and wrapping them around his torso so that he could not escape. "If this is all I am going to have from you right now," she said before staring at him intensely, "then I want it all."

He didn't smile or respond, but she knew his choice when his touch soon had purpose, when the only words he spoke were of love and her name, and when his eyes had a resolve that she had never seen since before Zeref touched their lives.

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**Please R&R**


	5. Chapter 5: Comforting

**I don't really know where this was going. all i know is that I have this idea where Gajeel's good with kids and Wendy as this connection with him because they're both dragon slayers. I mean, look at his build! He's strong and fierce like a dragon, but we know he's not the most heartless bastard Mashima's created. I figure that Wendy get's homesick once and awhile and, all things considered, I think that Gajeel is a very dragon-esque dragon slayer**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairytail**

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Chapter 5: Comforting

"I don't like it there all the time," she was saying, cradling Charle in her arms as she walked down the hall with him. His hypersensitive hearing allowed him to hear the softness of Charle's mini-snores and Wendy's own swishing pajamas. Her nightgown, a healthy, baby blue hue, seemed short enough to not catch the tips of loose screws or nails that scattered the wood below her. It made her seem more delicate which, in a way, she was. All the while, the fabric fell back and forth whenever she walked, and subtle swish of it was what Gajeel could hear the most. "They can't always help."

"I can't either," he said, leading her around the mounds of metal that jutted out along the hall. He could hear her trying to jump over stray screws or duck down so as not to hit her head on the iron bars that he'd collected, and the man silently promised to move them before she woke up the next day. The metal itself was in the midst of being sorted, although most of the items came from Gajeel's own room at Pantherlily's insistence. The cat had been quite firm on not sleeping in a room that was 90% metallic.

"That's not true," she protested, her last word stifled by a yawn. He glanced over at her petite form, her long blue locks braided up for the night (no doubt thanks to Juvia) and watched as the girl nearly tripped over the brass body of a lamp. She blinked rapidly and checked that Charle was still asleep before taking another hesitant step, her eyes fixed on the ground. She seemed so worried With a sigh, Gajeel leaned down and picked her up so that she was sitting in the crook of his arm. "Ah! Gajeel, you don't need to do that!"

"Yer gonna hurt yourself." Wendy bit her lip, a small hand moving to support herself by clutching at the plain, white tank top he was sporting. He continued walking, half-awake, until they arrived at his room where he slept. The window was shut tight but the curtains had been drawn back to allow the entire room to be filled with moonlight. It cast shadows on the metals that adorned his walls and the assortment of iron near his desk. Predictably, Lily was standing on the bed, a sleepy grin on his maw. He'd woken up no doubt due to the young slayer's arrival yet he did not look annoyed at all.

"Hullo there, Wendy."

"Hi there, Lily. I'm sorry for waking you."

"It is no trouble at all. Gajeel insisted on having you over."

"No, I didn't." He dropped Wendy on the bed next to Pantherlily before flopping down at the end of the mattress, his arms and legs dangling off the edges.

"I didn't know you'd be awake, Lily. Normally you just sleep through my visits."

"Indeed. It is because Gajeel is convinced that this night calls for a bed and not the sofa that you often get."

"I never minded the sofa," she murmured while she tucked Charle beneath the blankets.

"Tonights a lil' different than the other ones," cut in Gajeel, rubbing sleep from his eyes in sharp motions, "Grandine was different today." Wendy nodded quietly as Gajeel reached under his bed and retrieved a small, metal container with Wendy's name engraved on it.

"What, may I ask, is that? I've never seen it before," stated Lily, and he watched as Wendy crawled over to Gajeel, took the box and unlocked it with a key that she retrieved from her pocket. It all seemed very secretive and rehearsed to the Exceed, but to Gajeel it was simply something normal.

"It's something Grandine made me," she said simply and she pulled out an ivory comb that seemed to shine like pearls Lily had once seen in a jewelry shop. It's smooth body caught the moonbeams filtering in through the window and gleamed up light patterns on the ceiling. In essence, it was one of the most beautiful things He watched as Gajeel sat up and, when Wendy had seated herself just in front of him, the dragon slayer undid the braids and combed.

Gajeel was displaying a delicacy that, Lily believed, only Levy had glimpsed and it was amazing to see it displayed to Wendy whom Gajeel had classified a child. Despite the fact that Gajeel was good with children, Lily knew very well that Gajeel didn't believe that fact about himself. And yet here was Wendy, a young child, who was willing to let the man brush through her hair like they were siblings, which, in a way he supposed, they were. All dragon slayers were connected through their dragons, he had noticed.

He continued to brush that way, not bothering to speak to the girl before him whom sat almost as mutely as he did, her eyes glazed over in deep thought. Lily stayed awake with them, amazed by their quiet practice and by the fact that his partner consented to do as the girl asked.

Gajeel, however, allowed his hands to do most of the leading and his mind wandering off. Gajeel knew full well that Wendy didn't usually need the comb to be soothed back to sleep. Over the years, he had learned that the quiet child was often in need of his scent when she became distressed at night, a need that he both understood and remained completely confused about. He was a fierce and overbearing, whereas she was soothing and patient with everyone and everything. What comfort she gained from his presence he did not completely understand. But still, he would not question his guildmate, not when it came to their Dragons. He knew what it felt like to be in her shoes and a part of him did not blame her for seeking solace in the company of a fellow slayer.

"Gajeel, you brush too hard," she whispered after one too many winces. Her soft voice startled him out of his thoughts and he peered down at the top of her head.

"Shouldn't have braided your hair then," he snickered, but he slowed his brushing down till he was untangling the strands in careful, painless strokes. What seemed rehearsed for the Exceed came rather easy to the man. With a mane as thick as his, he had become quite proficient on keeping it straight and spiked. It also helped that his other favoured companion had a patient disposition, plenty of combs, and a wild, blue set of locks to go with it to help him practice.

"It was girls night; we had to."

"It was done up nice, I guess, but to unknot it is a major-" he paused before saying, "a pain in the ass." Lily snickered at his verbal censoring and Gajeel's eyes narrowed into slits as he glared at the cat from above Wendy's head. "I'm too tired to put up with you tonight, Lil, so go back to sleep."

"Too tired for me and not for Wendy?" Pantherlily feigned injury but Gajeel didn't show any sympathy.

"'S different," he grumbled and Wendy sighed a little. "We don't have to talk about it now," he said offhandedly to her, pausing his practice. She turned her head to smile at him a little and insisted that the brushing was fine and was just what she needed.

"Did somebody walk you here or did you come on your own?" asked Lily, sitting opposite the child with a curious glint in his eye.

"On my own. I normally just take the path that Gajeel takes."

Gajeel was almost surprised by her answer, but he had always known that Wendy was clever. So of course she would take the path he deemed safe.

"What do you mean?"

"I just followed Gajeel's scent here. I always do that, and there's never anybody on the path that he takes so I know that it's the best way here." She explained it quite calmly, and Gajeel smirked a little to himself. She had omitted to Lily that his paths were mostly rooftop based which was the main reason that she never encountered people. He was impressed.

"That's quite smart, Wendy," said Lily appraisingly as he smiled up at Gajeel. "You've learned quite alot by coming to Fairytail, haven't you?"

Wendy's lips turned up at that, her light eyes crinkling at the edges. "Mhmm. I'm so glad I came here. I think Grandine would be proud that I came to a guild like this."

They spent the rest of her consciousness sitting silently while he cleared the knots from her hair, and soon enough she was leaning back in Gajeel's chest while he brushed through her bangs with her breathing softly in puffs from her mouth. The male tsked, combing through her hair until he let out a breath of relief, replaced the comb in the metal container and locked it up.

"Does this always happen?"

Gajeel waited until he had tucked her in next to Charle and taken a seat on the floor before answering Lily, the cat flying over the two sleeping guild members to sit next to him, his keen eyes watching the man expectantly. "No," he said finally, his voice hushed as he stared at his bare feet. "The kid just gets too tired too often sometimes."

"And?"

"And she's comfy here, I guess."

Lily decided to ask about that later and instead asked what had been at the forefront of his mind. "I've never seen the brush before," he hedged. "Is it something new?"

"Nah, it's always been with her. She gave me it the last time she came over; had said her last dream 'bout her dragon scared the living shit out of her. If you had seen her..." he trailed off, his red eyes finding Lily's with ease. "She's centuries too young to have to deal with those kinda things."

"And these nightmares...?"

"Yeah, they're like mine," admitted Gajeel and he watched concern move to settle on his friend's face. The Exceed had not always been acquainted with the contents of Gajeel's dreams, but when the man had finally graced Lily with their tales they had never been pleasant. His nightmares had often involved blood, painted crests and overwhelming screams but the worst of the man's dreams lay in his dragon and the muffled sobbed of an orphan in the middle of the night; dreams of a child who had lost the only happiness he had ever known without any warning at all. Gajeel knew about the dreams first hand, but for her to experience the nightmares that had haunted him for more than 7 years...

"She's a tough girl," said Lily finally, eyeing Wendy's sleeping form. "I find it very interesting that she comes to you instead of Natsu."

"The hell if I know. She's a crazy fairy," he tsked at her, a smile creeping onto his face without his permission, "Fits right in here, don't you think?"

"As do you."

"Don't fuck with me, Lil'," groaned the man, trying to ignore the sudden swell of his heart.

The Exceed smirked. "You have a soft spot for her." Gajeel didn't say anything and kept his eyes on the smaller dragon slayer. "You do, you have a soft spot for her." He laughed. "It's always the bluenettes, isn't it?"

"Shut up."

"It must be the hair. You have very long hair in comparison to Natsu. Perhaps that's what she likes best."

"Even if Pinkie Pie the flame brain had long hair, she wouldn't go to 'im. He's in bunny girl's bed all night; she wouldn't mess that up."

"Natsu has been sleeping with Lucy?" asked Pantherlily, frowning a little bit. "Aren't they a bit too young to be-"

"In this guild, there's no such thing as too young. But they haven't done shit anyway; not that he'd have the balls to make a non-dragon related move anyway," he snickered which served to make his friend more confused.

"Non-dragon related?"

"Dragon slayers like to stake their claim on their mates just like any other dragon. We're territorial. By the kid sleeping in bunny girl's bed, he's gettin' his scent all over her so that other males back off. He probably doesn't even know he's doin' it either. It doesn't matter though." He remembered all the times he had seen the pair out and being harassed by random male; males that were stupid and couldn't sense that Natsu was protective as fuck over the celestial mage. Nobody but those with keen senses of smell and dragon slayers could catch his scent on her, and his 'let's-go-everywhere-together' attitude with her was enough to solidify his claim on her for most guys. They wouldn't understand the mating process but most knew how to back off when someone like her appeared taken. Still, Lucy did not seem to want to be taken. In fact, she seemed quite comfortable in her position as Natsu's best friend and partner.

"I see...and Wendy knows this?"

"She can smell him on Lucy's clothes whenever we're at the guild like I can; probably thinks she's disturbin' his quality time with the blonde too."

Lily would have added something else but suddenly he heard a whimper from the mattress. It was slight, the sound ghosting past Wendy's lips and into the open air rather slowly. Gajeel must have sensed something first because he moved his hand onto the bed, allowing his palm to fall just in front of her face. Lily crawled up onto the bed to check on her, and the sound of Wendy calling out for Grandine left her mouth clear as day. She was silent for a few more moments and Gajeel thought that perhaps, the dream would face and Wendy would be free of such horrors. But he could see her eyes shift wildly beneath her eyelids, and when the girl's words sounded more like a plea and a cry all at once, the dragon slayer hushed her, his voice gruff and low while he whispered things that Lily barely caught.

"She's comin' home kiddo, just you wait," was all he needed to say before Wendy's hands came up to clutch Gajeel's thumb, the girl pulling his hand closer and curling around it. It reminded Gajeel of the dragons he had seen in some of Levy's books, their scaly bodies coiling around a glistening egg. He covered her small fingers and he watched her breath in and out deeply, her sounds dying down now that he was there. Her breath drifted past his wrist but he didn't shiver or move. Instead Gajeel tried to find a more comfortable position so that she could sleep and he would still remain in her grasp. She did not frequently need a hand to hold when she had nightmares, but desperate times called for desperate measures, he supposed, and that was fine with him. He sighed a bit to himself and felt the warmth in his own heart grow a little more when her expression became one of tranquility. She had only showed that face to him once before: the night she'd given him the comb. It was still unfathomable that he, of all people, could bring such an expression to her face…

"You're so good with kids, Gajeel."

"Shuddup," Gajeel snapped back with less than half his usual hostility but did not remove his eyes from Wendy, his mind at ease knowing that she seemed relaxed in slumber.

"I mean it though." The slayer felt a small paw touch his skin before it left, and he could see Pantherlily's shadow flying back to his corner of the bed in his peripheral.

"Whatever."

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**Please R&R?**


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